Cooperating Agency Status
Tribal Governments are navigating a growing number of federal permitting, environmental review, and resource management decisions that affect their traditional territories, stewardship responsibilities, communities, and ways of life. As projects and federal decisions move forward, there can be important opportunities for Tribes to have a voice before decisions take shape.
Cooperating Agency status is one tool Tribes can use to engage early and bring Tribal knowledge, priorities, and generational expertise to the table to protect, defend, and advocate on behalf of their communities, citizens, and resources. The Cooperating Agency Toolkit brings together practical resources to help Tribal Governments understand cooperating agency status, consider when it might be useful, and navigate the process.
Start with this list of frequently asked questions.
Check out the Cooperating Agency Guidebook
Each Tribe is different. Tribal Governments should review and adapt each tool provided in this toolkit to make sure it accurately reflects their Tribe’s governing documents, processes, and circumstances before using it.
Have experience navigating the Cooperating Agency process? We welcome Tribes to share what they’ve learned, ask questions about the toolkit, or identify additional resources that may be useful to other Tribes interested in starting the process.
Contact us at info@aywaa.org.
